From The Forest

On this week's show we'll be talking to Scott Trager & his son Sammy from Northeast Off-Road Adventures (NORA) & Specialized Outdoor Adaptive Recreation (SOAR). They provide education and training for off-road vehicle use in the Catskill Mountains as well as outdoor activities to people with limited mobility. Northeast Off-Road Adventures, Inc (NORA- established 2011) offers 4WD & Over...

On this week's show, we'll be talking to Restoration Ecologist--Dan Marshalla--about his research in Illinois regarding fire, oak regeneration, and invasive grasses like Japanese stiltgrass. Dan got his bachelor's degree in Environmental Science from the University of Notre Dame, where he was also the research assistant on a study of northern Alaskan black spruce. He has been a restoration ecologi...

Every 3rd Wednesday we have Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest-related. This month we'll be discussing the most abundant spruce trees in the Catskills--Norway & Red. Gary is the former owner of Fruitful Furnishings Sawmill & current owner of Gary Mead Gallery in Margaretville, Delaware County. He was born & raised on a dairy farm in Ne...

On this week's show, we'll be talking to Cornell University Associate Professor of Natural Resources Bernd Blossey about his 10-year study. Bernd and his team found that neither fertility control nor recreational hunting was effective at reducing whitetail deer populations or the pressure they place on native vegetation. Bernd was born and raised in northern Germany. In 1992, he moved to Cornell U...

On this week's show we'll be talking about agroforestry, or the "integration of trees & agriculture" with the Agroforestry Center's Tracey Testo-Smith. Tracey Testo-Smith is on the Agriculture and Natural Resource Team at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties’ Agroforestry Resource Center and Siuslaw Model Forest as an Agroforestry and Natural Resource Educator. She gra...

Summer is sunsetting, while fall is rising. On this week's show, we'll discuss some of the science behind these beautiful fall colors and our favorite fall foliage trees as well.

Every 3rd Wednesday we have Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest-related. This month we'll be discussing the Douglas fir tree. Gary is the former owner of Fruitful Furnishings Sawmill & current owner of Gary Mead Gallery in Margaretville, Delaware County. He was born & raised on a dairy farm in New Kingston, Town of Middletown, Delaware Coun...

On this week's show we'll be checking back in with Forester Collin Miller on biocontrols with emerald ash borer. As many of you know, ash trees are being devastated by the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). Currently, the only control is chemically-based to save a few sentimental trees mostly in the arboricultural-sphere near one's home. However, biocontrols are being used and we'll see how they're faring....

On this week's show we'll discuss the midstory of the forest. A forest is made up of three canopy stratums--the overstory, midstory and understory (forest floor). We'll focus on the midstory and why it might be less important than originally thought. That's right. Less important.

On this week's show we'll discuss a shrub that went from being a hero or pushed onto the landscape, to one that has been shunned or prohibited. Whether you like or dislike this plant, it seems to symbolize how culture has changed surrounding plants and their management.

Paul Misko is an avid hiker who grew up in Woodland Valley, Ulster County. Paul will discuss Wednesday's hike with CFA Staff up Woodland Valley, things that have changed and what not over the many decades.

On this week's show we'll talk with Arborist Charlie Blume about chainsaws & their maintenance, chains, trees, arboriculture & more.  Charlie Blume grew up in Freeport, Long Island, NY where he owned a Tree Care company. Over 20 years ago, he relocated to Grahamsville, Sullivan County, where he has been practicing arboriculture ever since.

Since 2004, CFA's Ryan Trapani goes on a walk-about in the higher elevations of the Catskill Mountains. Normally this is a solo trip, but this year Tanner--Ryan's 8-year-old son--came along. We'll discuss this brief trip, forest observations, etc.

This week Zane Lawyer, CFA’s Program Manager, and Jen Betz, CFA’s Forest Process Efficiency Coordinator, discuss what they’ve been up to at CFA and outside of work. Recent and upcoming events, Jen’s ongoing timber harvest, and other sightings and topics will be discussed. One of CFA’s Education Foresters may also make an appearance to round out the episode.

Every 3rd Wednesday we have Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest-related. This month we'll be discussing the hackberry tree. Gary is the former owner of Fruitful Furnishings Sawmill & current owner of Gary Mead Gallery in Margaretville, Delaware County. He was born & raised on a dairy farm in New Kingston, Town of Middletown, Delaware County...

America is turning 250 years old, but for the last century it has been without one its most cherished trees--the American chestnut--due to an invasive blight. SilvaBIo is now ready to bring this tree back through a scientific breakthrough. SilvaBio is a Public Benefit Company committed to developing and supplying superior seedlings to restore America’s forests and strengthen the ecosystems and eco...

Occasionally, each 1st Wednesday, we like to "talk shop" with field staff of Catskill Forest Association on what's going on in the forest.  CFA Field Staff Ryan Trapani, Director of Forest Services Zane Lawyer, Forest Program Manager Giovanna D'Angelo, Education Forester Erik Heidenfelder, Forest Technician Jen Betz, Forest Process Efficiency Coordinator 

On this week's show we'll be talking to Ethan Cramton. Ethan will discuss past, present, and future forests in the Catskills region, industry trends, and highlight the recent development of Baillie Forestry Division's Private Land Management Program. Ethan Cramton is the Manager of Baillie Forestry Division's Private Lands Program, a growing division of the Baillie Group. He received his BS from C...

Every 3rd Wednesday we have Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest-related. This month we'll be discussing the pitch pine tree. Gary is the former owner of Fruitful Furnishings Sawmill & current owner of Gary Mead Gallery in Margaretville, Delaware County. He was born & raised on a dairy farm in New Kingston, Town of Middletown, Delaware Count...

Join Zane and Erik as they discuss their experiences working in the landscaping and tree care industry. They'll discuss their first impressions, learning on the job, what they liked about it and what they didn’t.

Each spring, Ryan takes a walk near where he grew up--the Shawangunk Ridge. We'll talk about this unique area, its history, how it's changing, & where it might be going.

On this week's show, we'll discuss some "Forest Forensics." Forest Forensics can be defined as the "Study of the history and ecology of forests by analyzing visual clues in the landscape... It helps us understand past human activities and natural events that have shaped the forest environment."

Every 3rd Wednesday we have Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest-related. This month we'll be discussing the bald cypress tree. Gary is the former owner of Fruitful Furnishings Sawmill & current owner of Gary Mead Gallery in Margaretville, Delaware County. He was born & raised on a dairy farm in New Kingston, Town of Middletown, Delaware Cou...

On this week's show, we'll be discussing some of the most melodic summer songsters of the Catskill Mountain forest--the thrushes. Mike Porter knows his birds & we'll get some insight about these summer migrants. Mike is a retired teacher from Margaretville Central School. He taught Earth Science, Environmental Science, Science Research in the High School, Driver Education and several elementar...

Tom's been on the show before discussing his business--Woodsman Forest Products. However, Tom is also a long-time listener of the show and has questions for the Staff of Catskill Forest Association. We'll "talk shop" with Tom about the forest, wood products, forest management, mushrooms and mushroom logs, sawmilling, and more.    ABOUT TOM Tom is a retired EMT & still is an EMT (volunteer). He...